


I Found You

by icandrawamoth



Series: February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [11]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron Series - Alexander Freed
Genre: Bars and Pubs, Cuddling & Snuggling, Demisexual Wyl Lark, Demisexuality, Developing Friendships, F/M, February Ficlet Challenge, February Ficlet Challenge 2020, Gen, Literal Sleeping Together, Puzzles, not sure if this is technically shippy for not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:09:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22767529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: A chance meeting in a bar on Jiruus leads Wyl to a relationship he never would have expected.
Relationships: Wyl Lark & Original Female Character, Wyl Lark/Original Female Character
Series: February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624723
Kudos: 2
Collections: February Ficlet Challenge 2020





	I Found You

**Author's Note:**

> For February Ficlet Challenge prompt "puzzles."

Their first night on Jiruus, Riot Squadron hits a bar for a party. They survived this far, and that's all they need for an excuse. For Wyl, it's more. Just a few more days, just until his datawork is filed and he gets his official release, and he's going home.

So he laughs and talks and drinks with his squadmates, and soon they're joined by a handful of locals, drawn to the excitement in the air and staying when they find there are stories to be told. War tales never get old, as much as Wyl might usually prefer not to tell them.

The night draws on, the mood staying up, and as the hour grows later, people start to leave. Several in pairs, one or two in trios - finding companionship for the night.

At one point, Sonogari appears from seemingly nowhere and wraps an arm around Wyl's shoulders, pointing with the glass in his other hand. "That girl over there has been watching you all night."

Wyl flinches a little as he follows his friends eyes to a woman on the other end of the bar. Young, probably the same age as them, with the same olive skin tone as Wyl, dark eyes, and brown hair in a bob. Pretty, objectively, though she sparks nothing in Wyl. Like no one ever has on his first meeting with them.

"Sonogari, you know-"

Sonogari pushes him gently toward her. "I know. But there's a difference between acknowledging and using it as an excuse. Go make friends with her at least. Maybe she'll understand."

Wyl swallows hard. He's met too many people who didn't, and he's had such a good night. But she does look nice – he's noticed her laughing at his jokes, and she made a few interesting comments earlier about having grown up on a ranch. He squares his jaw and decides to try, if only because Sonogari truly wants what's best for him.

He walks over and sits down next to the woman with his friendliest smile. "Hi. I'm Wyl."

"I remember. My name is Ama."

Wyl tries to remember if she'd said it early and he forgot. "Sorry, I'm not always great when I have a lot of names coming at me fast."

"That's okay."

Across the bar, Sonogari catches his eye and waves before putting his arm around Nasi's waist and leaving with her.

"Your friend?" Ama asks.

Wyl rolls his eyes. "I think he thinks you want to take me home. Thing is-"

"You don't want to." Ama flushes. "I'm sorry. Was I too forward? I-"

"No, no." Wyl touches her hand. "Thing is, I don't tend to do hook-ups like this. Not for any moral reason or anything, but... You see, I'm demisexual. That means I don't feel sexually attracted to someone until I get to know them. And seeing as we've just met and I'm only going to be on Jiruus for a few days, that doesn't seem likely."

"Oh." Ama's eyes fall to her drink; she looks a little sad.

"I'm sorry," Wyl offers. "I can't help it."

"What if I didn't just want you to come with me for sex?"

"What?"

Ama looks back up at him, smiling again. "I mean, I like you. That doesn't mean I have to have sex with you, right?"

"Right." Wyl smiles too, liking the sound of this more and more. "We could just...hang out?"

"I have a spare bedroom. It might be nicer than barracks or hotel or wherever you were going to stay. If you want it."

"Let's see how it goes."

"All right. Shall we then?" Ama stands and reaches for her purse.

"Sure." Wyl offers an arm, warmed by the smile she offers in return. Yes, he likes her already, regardless of whether he craves anything physical.

A short time later, Ama has shown her around his apartment and left him sitting in the living while she goes to fetch something. "This may sound silly," she says as she returns, depositing a pile of flattish boxes on the coffee table, "but..."

Wyl leans forward to look and finds each box has a different picture on the front - the Coruscant skyline, a sunset over a wheat field, a running orbak - paired with a number. He grins. "Puzzles?"

Ama blushes. "Something to do with our hands while we talk? If you're not interested-"

"I'm interested. You pick, and we'll do one right now."

Ama chooses the sunset and opens the box. "I bought this one because the picture reminds me of where I grew up," she explains, gently dumping the pieces onto the table.

Wyl slides to his knees on the floor in order to reach them better and starts sorting out the border pieces. "I didn't grow up in a city like this either. I'm from a planet called Polyneus - though we just call it Home."

Two hours later, the puzzle is nearly finished, and Wyl and Ama have learned a lot about each other. He's told her the general facts about himself - where he came from, his service to the Rebellion and New Republic, how he discovered his sexuality, how pleased he is to be going home. In turn, she's shared much of herself as well - stories of growing up in the wilds of Jiruus, how she's never been offplanet but wants more than anything to visit Coruscant, how she's not sure if she ever wants to get married but dreams of having children.

He likes her a lot. He could so easily come to truly care for her - after all, doesn't he half fall in love with everyone he meets? - and the physical attraction might come in time. He's almost sorry they won't get the chance to explore that, that he's not the type of ace who enjoys sex without that attraction.

When Ama slots the final piece into the puzzle, Wyl yawns. She giggles as she looks up at him. "We've been busy. It's nearly three."

"I think I'll take you up on that bed now," he agrees.

Ama tilts her head at him as if she's considering her words. "Or there's mine. No, I get it - you don't want to have sex with me. That's fine. But we could just cuddle?" She flushes deeply. "I mean if that's something you might be comfortable with?"

Wyl thinks about it for a moment, decides it is. It's been awhile since he was touched in any way, and he thinks Ama understands him well enough not to push things. "Okay. I'll say if anything makes me uncomfortable, and I need you to respect that."

"Of course."

Soon, they're under the covers with the lights off, arms around each other, Ama's head tucked beneath Wyl's chin. "This feels nice," she murmurs, voice vibrating softly against his throat.

It really does. "I'm glad I came with you tonight," he tells her. "I had a really good time."

"You can stay if you want. I mean, I'm sure you have things to do, but you can come back tomorrow. Whenever you want until you leave, open invitation. I'll give you a key."

"I think I might like that. Thank you."

He does take her up on it, spending each night of his leave on Jiruus up late talking with her and doing puzzles or playing games. Most of the time it doesn't even feel romantic. More like a close friendship they've suddenly stumbled into.

When his time to leave draws near, she gives him her comm code and makes him promise to keep in touch. She tosses her hair and laughs and says she knows they won't be waiting for each other, but she wants to say friends. Wyl agrees, and it's been a long time since he was this genuinely happy.

That night, the Empire attacks. He races to a battle that ends with Riot Squadron and the _Hellion's Dare_ jumping away from Jiruus without him getting a chance to say goodbye. It will be weeks before he's able to get in touch with Ama again, not until he's safe on the _Lodestar_ , the ruins of two squadrons and the objective he was supposed to be protecting littered in his wake. He'll call her, pouring out everything that's happened in a rush of words and tears, and she'll listen quietly before telling him she knows he did what he could, that she's proud of him. That she's so happy he's safe and that he's talking to her now. He'll cry again, then, knowing she truly cares, that he was lucky to find her, that he's not alone.


End file.
